>> Thursday, August 3, 2017

By Alah
Soledad M. Sungduan

EIGASAI is coming to
Baguio again. This time the Japanese Film Festival will feature the free
screening of 12 award winning Japanese films covering a wide array of genres
which include a documentary and a movie dubbed in Filipino language.

The festival
celebrating the Philippine-Japan Friendship Month in July and August marking
its 20th anniversary in the country will officially open on August 10, Thursday
in the Summer Capital, a haven of many arts, cultural and Japanese enthusiasts
according to Japan Foundation Manila Office.

“We have attracted
over 4,600 audiences in Baguio (nationwide we had over 26,400) last year; and
this year, we are hoping that more people can join this festival and enjoy the
Japanese film festival on the big screen,” JFMO Program Coordinator Ami
Kurokawa said.

Proud to continue the
film festivals and being able to screen quality Japanese films, Kurokawa said
from ten films presented at SM City Baguio Cinema last year, two additional
motion pictures are included to attract more audience and bring a diverse group
of Filipino together to celebrate the Japanese culture.

JFMO believes that
films are one of the most accessible and easiest gateways into Japanese
culture, way of living, and language as it shows a glimpse of the interesting
lives of Japanese people which they hope will fuel Filipinos’ curiosity and
interest, and start conversations about Japanese culture.

They hope that through
the said undertaking, Japan-lovers and film-lovers can now look forward to
EIGASAI each year and watch Japanese films on the big screen. It is also an
opportunity for eager Japanese learners to put their skills to practice and
strengthen their passion for the language.

“Bakuman” will be
shown on the opening day on August 10 at 1:30PM to be followed by “The Long Excuse”
and The Magnificent Nine.

On August 11 the
featured films are “Chihayafuru”, “What a Wonderful Family”, and “Creepy” while
“Sweet Bean”, “Tsukiji Wonderland”, and “Her Love Boils Bathwater” on August
12.

Meanwhile, the films
“The Anthem of the Heart”, “Chihayafuru Part 2”, and “The Mohican Comes Home”
will be shown on the last screening on August 13. For updates, visit the official Facebook
page: eigasaiPH (https://www.facebook.com/eigasaiPH/)

Regarded as a
milestone by the Japan Foundation Manila, EGASAI has over 100 screenings in
nine venues in the nation which started in Manila on July 20.

EGASAI is part of the
Japan Foundation Asia Center’s unified Japanese Film Festival being held around
Southeast Asia and the Pacific region with Japan Foundation, Manila.